Origins of SociologyOrigins of Sociology

Section 2Section 2

HistoricalHistorical ConnectionConnection

• Cultural shiftCultural shift• Agricultural societies shift to industrial Agricultural societies shift to industrial

societiessocieties• Changes peaked to interest of scholarsChanges peaked to interest of scholars

Important People in SociologyImportant People in Sociology

• Auguste ComteAuguste Comte• Harriet MartineauHarriet Martineau• Herbert SpencerHerbert Spencer• Karl MarxKarl Marx• Emile DurkheimEmile Durkheim• Max WeberMax Weber• Jane AddamsJane Addams• W.E.B. Du BoisW.E.B. Du Bois

Auguste ComteAuguste Comte• 1798-18571798-1857• Father of Sociology (coined the Father of Sociology (coined the

term)term)• Concerned with improving Concerned with improving

societysociety• Believed society should be Believed society should be

studied scientificallystudied scientifically• Social Statics – study of social Social Statics – study of social

stability and orderstability and order• Social dynamics – study social Social dynamics – study social

changechange

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Harriet MartineauHarriet Martineau

• Pronounced “Martin’o’”Pronounced “Martin’o’”• 1802-18761802-1876• Born in Norwich, EnglandBorn in Norwich, England• Upper middle class familyUpper middle class family

– Textiles and Imported WineTextiles and Imported Wine

• EducationEducation– Self study at homeSelf study at home

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Harriet MartineauHarriet Martineau

• Dealt with the problem of deafness throughout her Dealt with the problem of deafness throughout her lifelife

• She took the risk of being a “single” female in a very She took the risk of being a “single” female in a very male-dominated economic world. male-dominated economic world. – Her father died during the 1820’s and her fiancé had a Her father died during the 1820’s and her fiancé had a

mental and physical collapse…she decided to escape the mental and physical collapse…she decided to escape the confines of a Victorian marriage.confines of a Victorian marriage.

– She remained single and independent the rest of her life.She remained single and independent the rest of her life.– By 1829, she had decided to commit herself to the By 1829, she had decided to commit herself to the

writing professionwriting profession. – She was concerned with the oppression of womenShe was concerned with the oppression of women

Herbert SpencerHerbert Spencer

• 1820-19031820-1903• Dabbled in engineering, Dabbled in engineering,

drafting, inventing, drafting, inventing, journalism, and writingjournalism, and writing

• Society is like the Society is like the human bodyhuman body

• Created the idea of Created the idea of Social DarwinismSocial Darwinism

Social DarwinismSocial Darwinism

• Natural selection applies to nature as well as Natural selection applies to nature as well as societysociety

• Don’t interfere with who is rich or poorDon’t interfere with who is rich or poor• Society will naturally weed out those that are Society will naturally weed out those that are

not strong enough to survivenot strong enough to survive

Karl MarxKarl Marx

• 1818-18831818-1883• Did not call himself a Did not call himself a

sociologistsociologist• CommunistCommunist• Class conflict will Class conflict will

determine historydetermine history• Proletariat vs Proletariat vs

Bourgeosie Bourgeosie

Karl MarxKarl Marx

• Proletariat – working class (work for Proletariat – working class (work for bourgeoisie)bourgeoisie)

• Bourgeoisie – own the means for producing Bourgeoisie – own the means for producing wealth (own businesses that employ wealth (own businesses that employ proletariat) proletariat)

EmileEmile DurkheimDurkheim

• 1858-19171858-1917• ResearchedResearched suicidesuicide• ExplainedExplained

mechanicalmechanical solidaritysolidarity andand organicorganic solidaritysolidarity

Several major contributions to sociology:Several major contributions to sociology:•Distinguishing and elaborating the field of Distinguishing and elaborating the field of sociology from other social sciencessociology from other social sciences•Emphasis on empirical data Emphasis on empirical data to lend to lend support to theoretical speculationssupport to theoretical speculations•Focus on the division of labor and its Focus on the division of labor and its consequences for social lifeconsequences for social life•Collective conscience or the need for a Collective conscience or the need for a common core of values and moral rulescommon core of values and moral rules

Emile Durkheim Contributions

Emile Durkheim Continues

• Mechanical solidarity – consensus of values Mechanical solidarity – consensus of values and beliefs, enforced conformity, and and beliefs, enforced conformity, and dependence on tradition (agrarian societies)dependence on tradition (agrarian societies)

• Organic solidarity – social interdependence Organic solidarity – social interdependence based on goods and services (industrial based on goods and services (industrial societies)societies)

Max WeberMax Weber

• 1864-19201864-1920• Single most influence on Single most influence on

sociologysociology• Verstehen and Verstehen and

rationalizationrationalization

Max WeberMax Weber

• VerstehenVerstehen – putting yourself in someone's – putting yourself in someone's shoes to understand social behaviorshoes to understand social behavior

• Rationalization – emphasizing knowledge, Rationalization – emphasizing knowledge, reason, and planning (as opposed to reason, and planning (as opposed to superstition and tradition)superstition and tradition)

Janes AddamsJanes Addams

• 1860-19351860-1935• Focused on the effects of Focused on the effects of

industrialism on the lower industrialism on the lower classclass

• Fought for social justice for Fought for social justice for immigrants, the sick, the immigrants, the sick, the poor, and the elderlypoor, and the elderly

• Awarded Nobel Peace Prize Awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1931in 1931

W.E.B. Du BoisW.E.B. Du Bois

• 1868-19631868-1963• Fought for African-Fought for African-

American equalityAmerican equality• Influenced early Influenced early

development of development of sociology in Americasociology in America